Joining the Battle
by Braidless Baka
Summary: A new pilot joins the war. But who is she? And what is she fighting for? [DISCONTINUED]
1. Chapter One

Kinborough Gundrey ****

Joining the Battle

By Josephine Maxwell-Jackson

**__**

AN: Kinborough Fotheringay is my own character and another Gundam pilot. She knew Duo when they were about seven. Confused? Read on and you shall discover how (with the help of some tactical mistakes) I worked it out. So there's your connections! Enjoy!

****

Chapter One

WOOHOO!!!!

I had two canons locked onto the base and I was not afraid to use them.

"Stop! Identify yourself!" The voice was from another mobile suit. It jarred me momentarily from my reign of torture.

I paused. I didn't want to do all this, but I had no choice. I had my orders. I had to destroy things and blow them up. There was no room for formalities. "No," I growled decisively.

A face came onto my screen. The boy looked petrified. His long, brown hair was tied into a ratty braid behind him, and he just stared at me, open-mouthed. "Kinborough? Kinborough Fotheringay?"

I was taken aback for a moment – just a moment – before I recognised the speaker. Duo Maxwell. "Duo? What the hell are you…?"

A massive shock ripped through my Gundam, leaving me gasping for breath. "Kin? Kin, talk to me!"

Determinedly, I grabbed the stick and swung my Gundam round to the source of the attack. They were going to get the first taste of my canons! _But you don't want to fight_, a part of me whispered, _you know you don't want to have to fight_.

__

But I have to, I whispered back, _for the colonies_.

"I'm still here, I haven't given up on you yet buddy."

"What're you doing here?" He cried in amazement.

I aimed at my target silently. Everyone in the building came streaming out as soon as they saw I was about to fire. I let them run – whatever good it did them.

"Kin? What're you doing here?" Duo's voice was more measured as he repeated the question.

I fired at the building savagely, feeling a bottomless pit open in my stomach as I did. "I'm just hanging around, blowing a few things up," I muttered after a pause.

"But what are _you_ doing _here_?" He repeated.

I made to answer his question, as something rammed into my side, throwing my whole machine off balance. I forced her to her feet, although she groaned the whole way. "A little busy here Duo! Maybe later?"

I turned and made my machine draw a small sword, which I used to chop the arm of the nearest Taurus suit. I stood back in position, waiting for the next to draw near. They stood around me in a circle. Waiting for me to attack. I knew that was stupid, making the first move. Best way to get yourself killed.

"Guys!" Duo was making a public broadcast to all the Gundams. I counted five suits, not including my own. Duo's was one, whose were the rest? "Listen to me guys, the other Gundam? I know the pilot! I repeat, I know the pilot! Do not take offensive action against that pilot!"

I was cornered, and I knew it. Sizing up the nearest Taurus, I jumped. Keeping on balance, I snapped forward with a foot and took his whole head off. The head of these suits usually contains the pilot. It crashed away, just missing another suit. "Anyone else?" I demanded in a public broadcast, stepping backwards to my original defensive position.

Suddenly, the next nearest suit split right down the middle. The Gundam responsible held out a giant hand to my suit, pulling me to my feet. "The name's Heero," he muttered. I had no visual. I couldn't see his face. "Thank me some other time."

Obediently I said nothing, but jumped to my feet and ran from the amazed Taurus, who'd just let us get on with it. Apparently they'd lost track of Heero's suit and were afraid of making the same mistake again.

I looked about. I had an objective. And I was going to attain it if it killed me. Which it possibly might. I had to blow the main control tower and get out alive. But that last part wasn't an order, just something I would like to do if I got the time. Surviving, you know? A pretty high priority on my list of things to do.

I held forward my arm and aimed. The hand folded away to reveal a canon bigger than the last one. I aimed at the tower. I punched the broadcast button. "Any idea how many people are in the tower?"

I released it to let them respond.

Why couldn't I fire? Knowing how many people would only make it worse. But I held steady. I had to know. A few seconds later, a blond kid responded. "I'm reading close to five hundred. Maybe more."

"Kin! Do it! We'll hold them off," cried Duo, taking out an advancing suit as he spoke. At least, I assume it was Duo. I really didn't know which he was.

I took one hand off the throttle and balled my fist. I felt blood on my palm. I was _not_ about to bail out now. But did I have to…?

I reached for the trigger… and fired.

The building burned beautifully. The flames were poetic. But I could already feel the tears rolling down my face. I'd killed about five hundred people with one action. How could I be so thoughtless?

"Yes!" cried Duo, "They're retreating!"

The army of Taurus were, indeed, pulling back. They couldn't protect the building anymore, and were just leaving everyone inside for dead. I was enraged. I pulled back and then blew towards the nearest suit, pulling it to the ground and making it immobile. "Who do you think you are?" I said, my voice wavering as I broadcast. "Leaving these people to die?"

A young man of about twenty flickered on my screen. "Kill me if you want Gundam, but you killed those people in there. If we try to help them we'd just be killed."

I punched at the cockpit once for good measure before letting the Taurus pilot to his feet to run and join the rest of his unit. He'd have a good story to tell when he got back to base. He faced a Gundam and survived.

Wow.

I raised my head and looked at the burning remains. I still had tears streaking down my face. I sniffed loudly. "Hey," said Duo slowly, his face flickering on-screen, "Kin? You're not… crying? Are you?"

"AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH CRYING? PANSYMAN!" I pounded the dashboard hard with both fists and yelled out in pain. Then I swore a great deal. The other pilots didn't try to stop me.

I sobbed. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing! Let the them have it! Everything! I just didn't care anymore!

I leaned back hard in the seat and let the tears stream down my face. What was the use? We didn't win. We couldn't wage war or we'd have hell to pay. We just had to sit back sticking our finger in the pudding every so often to see when it came to the boil.

"Kin? You okay?" The blond kid's voice was probing, but concerned.

I swallowed hard. "Not really. I just want to…" I balled my fists, feeling my nails digging into my palms. "Destroy something."

I took control of the stick and swung round to face the rest of them. "I'm leaving. There's no reason to stay here."

All the while, I couldn't help thinking that I'd killed hundreds of people. One machine and I had taken out hundreds of people. All acting, like me, on orders. It wasn't their fault, they didn't deserve to die. But I'd taken that decision away from them, whether they were to die or not. I did it. Me.

"Listen to me," said Heero, "We've all been there. We know what you're going through."

"How?" I choked. I could hardly bear it. Them standing around and telling me that they knew how I felt. So stupid!

"You think we've never killed before?"


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two ****

Chapter Two

I was in the air. I had no idea where I was going, or what I was going to do when I got there. But I'll tell you something, flying a huge clanking machine like a mobile suit across the sea is pretty relaxing.

It was weird, I'd never flown with other pilots before. I'd always been a pretty solitary pilot, being the odd one out because of my gender – and other things. I pressed the broadcast button.

"Hey, Duo?"

"Kin?"

I paused, and then smiled. "Do you guys go out and do this a lot?"

"All the time babe," he laughed, making a face at me. "All the time."

We, or rather they, decided to land somewhere in East America. There used to be this huge place called New York around somewhere, but now it's a ghost town. Like the stories you tell at Halloween, you know? How the nuclear storm wiped out New York City?

It was a long time ago, before the colonies. My mother says that my great great grandmother was born in New York City.

"They say it's deserted," announced the blond kid doubtfully, "No bases for miles and miles."

"Well there's at least one good thing that's happened today," muttered Heero sarcastically.

We landed and each pilot left his machine.

I waited and watched as they each lowered themselves from the hatch, which was near the middle of the machine. The blond kid, Duo, a brown haired kid wearing a blue sweater, another brown haired kid wearing a green vest, and a black haired kid.

I watched as Duo talked excitedly with them, not being able to hear what was said from so high up. I sighed gently before dropping to the hatch and letting myself out. The hatch opened onto an eerie night sky. I peered over the door, which I was standing on since it opened downover, and saw the ground a dizzying distance below me. I hooked my foot into the support and held onto the rope as it slowly lowered me to the ground.

I touched the ground with first one foot then the other and was instantly taken up in a giant hug by Duo. I'd known the guy ever since we were little kids and I guess he'd kinda missed me.

"Duo," I gasped, finally managing to stop him hugging me long enough to talk. "I'm happy to see you and everything, but some introductions would be nice."

"Oh yeah, right."

He went around everyone in turn. "Guys, this is Kinborough Fotheringay. We went to school together. Kin, this is Quatre Reberba Winner," blond haired kid, "Trowa Barton," kid with the blue sweater, "Heero Yuy," kid wearing the green vest, "and Wufei Chang," black haired kid.

Wufei, a very honest looking guy, took a cautious step towards me. "You're a…" He paused before spitting out the word, "Woman?"

I put my hands on my hips defiantly. "Yeah. What's your point?"

"Why are you piloting a Gundam?"

Duo shot a worried look between us, but said nothing. I sighed. "Because I can. What's it to you?"

He looked at the ground for a second. "You're a very skilled pilot," he said eventually. "I commend you."

"Well," I said slowly, nodding uncertainly. "Thank you. I guess." I shot a look at Duo, who shrugged. Quatre looked vaguely worried and Heero and Trowa seemed to be sharing some secret joke between them. Wufei nodded solemnly before stepping back and walking across the rocky ground.

"What was up with that guy?"

"Most of his beliefs are based on honour. He has many ideals where women are weaker than men. Women, in Wufei's eyes, have to prove themselves worthy." I listened to Trowa with interest. These were the first words I'd heard him speak. He didn't look at me until after he had finished. His eyes seemed to probe for something more. Well, let them probe. He wasn't someone I was about to spill over to.

He watched me closely for a few more seconds before turning to leave, following the same path as Wufei had chosen.

Heero smiled at me before stepping forward. He held out a hand. I took it and he shook my hand firmly. "Good to have you aboard," he paused. "Kinborough? Fotheringay?"

I smiled. "Kin'll do."

He nodded in acknowledgement. Then jogged to catch up with Trowa.

I glanced at Duo. "Tough crowd?"

"Oh, yeah," grinned Duo, "A real tough crowd."

I held out a hand to Quatre. He shook it readily. He seemed like a really eager guy. "Kin?"

I nodded. "It'll do. Hey, what was your last name again?"

"Winner."

"_Winner_?" I couldn't believe it. "Of the Winner family?"

Quatre nodded modestly. Duo smiled. "You know, that's exactly what I said to him."

"You're the heir to the Winner family? How'd you end up as a Gundam pilot?" The Winner family was the most influential in the Middle East. They'd managed to stay out of the war and contain themselves against it. It was amazing. And the Winners were the most powerful family in half the world. And I was stood here talking to their heir.

"Long story."

"So, Kin," Duo kicked at the ground as he spoke. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"You weren't a Gundam pilot last time I checked."

"Then you don't check too often."

"So," Duo shook his finger in thought. "You went through the same training as me, at the same time as me, without telling anyone?"

I frowned in thought. Then looked up. "Who could I tell? And I was… indisposed, for a while. Tonight was the first time I managed to get out."

"Of where?" Asked Quatre.

I frowned. "I have no parents here on Earth," I admitted slowly. "Oz had identified the meteorites as technologies and I was treated with… suspicion."

"Suspicion?" Muttered Duo, anxious now. "What kind of 'suspicion'?"

I glanced at him warningly. "Just, 'suspicion'."


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three ****

Chapter Three

"No, Kin. What kind of 'suspicion'?"

I took a step towards him. "Listen to me, Duo Maxwell. If you think you're some kind of big brother figure to me, you can sit down and think again. I'm not telling you anything I don't want to tell you." I poked him in the chest a few times for good measure. "Understand?"

His face was a mixture of amazement and disgust. "No, I don't understand. What's gotten into you lately?"

I turned away from him. "Nothing's 'gotten into me'. I've just had to learn a little about myself since I got here."

"Look, guys…" I felt sorry for Quatre. He seemed like a really nice guy. In the middle of a Fotheringay-Maxwell argument. "Will you two stop it? You haven't seen each other for a while. Did you argue before?"

"No, but she didn't keep me in the dark like this before."

I spun back round to face him. "Keep you in the dark about exactly what? What do you think you know?"

"I thought I knew something about you."

__

I looked up towards the soldier fearfully. He'd simply trashed the dormitory and while all the others had made it to the door, I'd been forced into a corner only finding a broken chair to hide behind. He stepped towards me and grabbed the collar of my nightgown, hoisting my ten-year-old body off the ground. "Who's been talking about escape girlie?"

"I… I don't know what you're talking about," I stuttered, sick to my stomach that he was going to do to me what he'd done to the rest of the room.

He threw me against the wall and I slid down it painfully, barely conscious. "Are you lying to me? I'll bet you are!" My head throbbed so much that his words were almost drowned out. "Aren't you!" He yelled again.

"I don't know!" I screamed, "I swear it!"

He watched me shift painfully, little ragged savage with the long auburn hair. "If I find out you're lying," he whispered, drawing close so I could hear him, "I'll beat your brains out with that bloody chair leg!" I cowered further away from him.

After a few seconds he got up and turned to leave, laughing. He didn't even look at me again, as though I was a dream he would forget the second he stepped out the door.

"I did it," I whispered as he left, "I'm going to escape."

"Kin? Are you even listening to me?"

I turned back to him, trying to force the image out of my head. "Quite frankly Duo, no, I'm not. Do you care to insult my honesty any more tonight? Or am I free to leave?"

"Leave if you want, just don't expect any favours."

I turned to leave angrily. "I won't."

I set off towards the sea. I'd always been happiest near water. Who did he think he was? Duo Maxwell? Amazing wonder pilot of the universe? Nah.

I stepped onto the quay watching the light play off the water. I sat on the edge and let the sound of water wash over me. Then a thought struck me. _Why had the militaries left New York_? There was nothing there a little demolition couldn't handle. Everyone to their own, I guess. I couldn't get the events of last night out of my head. Five hundred people. Oh, God. What had I done?

I could feel the tears on the edges of my eyelids, but they went no further. I'd already cried for them. If any of their relatives caught up with me, then I would offer them retribution, but until then I would just have to handle it myself.

__

"We can't do it," cried Nikki, as a searchlight grazed her ankles.

"I never asked you to come. If you want to leave, then do it now before things get really sticky." She didn't understand, couldn't know, how important it was for me to get out of there. I'd been here too long. I had things that had to be done, and I didn't know if there was anybody else out there to do them for me.

I turned and grabbed her shoulders. "Turn around and go back. They won't execute you. You didn't go through with it. You'll be safe. You'll live."

"To do what? Enter forced labour when I'm sixteen? Next year? You want me to do that? I'd rather die than leave this life the same way my parents did, under the whips of the Alliance."

I sighed. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," she nodded decisively. "We're going to get over that fence or die trying."

I looked down for a moment, trying to think over the blaring sirens and the escapee warnings. Then I looked up – and smiled. "Then let's hurry up and get out of here."

I shivered at the memory of that night, three nights ago. Nikki hadn't made it. She died on the fence with a bullet through her back. She'd paid the ultimate price, but with grim satisfaction. That girl had died with a smile on her lips, and I intended to do the same. Just – not yet.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter 4 ****

Chapter Four

I heard him before he spoke. "Kin?"

I didn't turn around. "What do you want? Did you come to apologise?"

"No, I just wanted a word." He sat down next to me. "What did you mean 'you had to learn a little about yourself'?" He put a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

I chewed on my lip. Then reached up and pulled down the corner of my sweater to reveal my shoulder. A pulsing, angry bruise practically shouted "ABUSE!!!"

I looked up at Duo imploringly. "This is what I meant."

"What…?" He was lost for words.

"I've got others like them." I pulled my sweater up again, acutely conscious of Duo's shocked face. "All over the place."

"How?"

"You're lucky," I muttered, avoiding the question. "They didn't get you."

"Who didn't get me?"

"The Alliance, after they found out about the suits coming from the colonies all dressed up as meteorites they started rounding us all up. People from the colonies." I paused.

"Go on," he murmured, prompting me onwards.

"They made us do forced labour at sixteen. Our life was a nightmare if we were any younger than that. I escaped three nights ago. My friend died rather than live one more day in there. So…" I continued, "that's what's up with me Duo. Satisfied?"

"But, why'd they do that?"

I shrugged. "They were afraid of me – of us – I expect. They knew we were from the colonies, so they thought that if they killed us all things would be simpler for them."

"Those… those… man! I hate those slime balls!"

"Yeah, me too. That's what I've been doing for the past few years. And I enjoy the chance to blow things up now and again, it's interesting, fun and different."

I slumped where I sat and looked straight down through the water. It was murky, dirty water, but you could still see the bottom. An old bicycle rusted away beneath the ebbing tide.

"Kin? Do you hear that?"

I listened. A low rumbling was slowly getting louder and louder. I looked at Duo, wide eyed. "What is it?"

He stood up. "I don't like where this is headed. C'mon."

I climbed to my feet and glanced about. There was nothing to signify where the sound was coming from, but I knew it well enough. Mobile suits came and went all the time at Frina 14, one of many colony-holding bases. You grew used to the only noise from the outside after a while.

I followed Duo as he made his way inland. "Please, Duo," I muttered, almost to myself, "tell me I'm not hearing a fleet of Aries suits. Please."

"I don't know, but I say we take some precautions. Huh?"

I hoisted myself into the seat and fastened myself in. I was in my realm, piloting a mobile suit. This is what I had spent my life in the colonies training to do. Gently fingering the throttle, I broadcast to Duo. "I'm in."

"Okay." His voice came back steadier than I'd ever heard. He sounded like he was certain of what he was doing. "Don't move your machine. Those Aries may not be coming for us. If they are, then we blow them to hell. Understood?"

"I copy that. Standing by."

"One other thing?"

"Shoot."

"Our main objective is to protect the other suits from those pilots. If and when the rest of the guys get back, they'll be our back up. You got that?"

I flicked a few switches on my control panel. "Standing by for orders. I'm reading about a hundred Aries suits, closing in fast."

"A hundred? Damn. Okay, stick to the plan."

I nodded to myself, mentally preparing for the oncoming onslaught. "Got it."


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter 5 ****

Chapter Five

"They're coming closer," I warned, watching the blips on my radar fearfully.

"I hear you. Just hold steady."

Now I could even hear them from inside the cockpit. I watched in disbelief as one of the suits slowed and stopped just above us. Then an enormous explosion ripped through the trees around us.

"Duo?"

"What are you waiting for? An invitation? Move it!"

I pulled hard at the throttle and shot upwards, past the surprised Aries suit.

"Sir," cried the pilot in surprise. "I've confirmed the Gundams! Both of them!"

I pulled round sharply, almost dislocating my shoulder at how much force I needed to pull her round. I brought the canon perched on the right arm to aim straight at the Aries. "Aries," I growled, "I have orders. Get out of my way and I may let you live to tell about it."

Uncertainly, the suit hovered in front of me. "I can't let you do that," he said, his voice wavering as he realised that those may be the last words he would ever say. I have to commend him. It took a lot of guts.

That didn't stop me from blowing a hole through his middle.

I shot above the treetops to join in the main battle. The suits had taken defensive positions over the water and were firing at Duo relentlessly. "We need a way to get out of here!"

"Down! Below the trees," I yelled, hardly able to hear myself. "They're getting clean shots up here!"

"No way! That's leading them to the other machines!"

"Then…" I didn't even finish the sentence. Actions speak louder than words. I shot towards the other suits with as much force as my machine had. I was pushing her to the limit, and she knew it. But I still went for it.

I pulled up a machine gun and started to fire at the machines right in front of me. Despite how it must have looked from the sidelines, this was not entirely a suicide mission. If I could blow the suits that were directly in front of me, then it would leave a clear path for me to avoid collisions.

I made it – just.

Sending up a massive wave of water at each side, I wrenched at the stick to bring her round to the, now exposed, backs of the Aries suits. Something snapped. My right hand suddenly went limp on the stick. I couldn't move it! I sent a blast into the back of the nearest Aries and pulled up sharply on the throttle, slowing the machine sharply.

Momentarily, I grabbed at my shoulder. I had no idea what had snapped, but it hurt like hell! I swore loudly.

"Kin? Why've you stopped? What's wrong?"

Determinedly, I grabbed at the joystick with my left hand. My movements were jerky, but I was still in control. I quickly side-stepped an enemy missile. So they'd finally figured I was behind them had they? Heck!

"Kin? Talk to me!"

I managed to reach the broadcast with an elbow, and decided to leave it on. "I'm here. In a little trouble, but okay."

"When are they going to cotton on?" growled Duo hotly. "You'd think they'd notice massive chunks being ripped out of the ground wouldn't you?"

Duo was talking, of course, about the other pilots. "They need a little more time." I pulled her backwards sharply. I returned fire stubbornly. "And I intend to provide them with exactly that."

Something slammed into my blindside, sending me crashing to the ground. I braced against the seat restraints painfully. I tried to pull myself to my feet, but the machine needed more force on the stick than I could offer. I rolled her over and looked up, my eyes widening at the sight before me.

The Aries had a canon aimed at her forehead. My machine was going to die. Honiara was going to be shot through the forehead. And my fate was sealed with hers.

"What do you have to say for yourself, 'almighty and brave' Gundam?" I heard the pilot snigger.

"I say that if you're going to kill me then do it now. I also advise you to feel no remorse. It is the only thing that will keep you sane."

He snorted harshly at my words and pushed down on the canon. I closed my eyes to my inevitable death. "Say your prayers, Gundam."


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter 6 ****

Chapter Six

I did just that. I said my prayers, knowing that they were the last words I was ever going to say. I opened my eyes to get one last look at the dashboard. I put out a hand to touch my Honiara one last time. Wherever she went after this life, I would faithfully follow.

"Well," I shouted, "just get it over with!"

Why was he making me wait like this? As though he'd read my thoughts he replied mockingly, "I enjoyed listening to your final words, pilot. But now, you die."

"Stop!" My first thought was that it was Duo. But the voice was different. "Colonel Une's orders were to take them alive, if possible. Do not kill that pilot!"

The pilot took the gun and smashed it over the side of Honiara's head, rattling the whole cockpit. My head was swimming. I couldn't think straight. "But sir," began the Aries pilot in protest.

"That was an order!"

The pilot sighed. "Yes sir." He knelt down and turned Honiara onto her front. I hung down from the seat restraints, feeling them bite mercilessly into my injured shoulder. A shot sounded from behind me, but nothing happened. Then it clicked! He'd sabotaged my fuel tank. I couldn't leave! At least not in my machine.

The pilot flew back off to join the fight, leaving me safe for him to come back for. Or so he thought.

There's something you have to understand. The relationship between a pilot and his machine is priceless. Even the OZ pilots care for their machines. Honiara and I are like twin sisters, fully understanding each other. I can't explain it any better than that. You'll just have to trust me.

Without waiting for me to activate it, she opened the hatch. Even opening the hatch used up fuel. She wanted me to leave. That was the only explanation.

I released my restraints and fell onto the dashboard. I scrambled to the hatch and dropped to the ground, which was a safe distance beneath me this time. Grabbing at my arm I made for the undergrowth.

"Stop!"

The Aries pilot had had second thoughts and had seen me making for the woods. The gun his suit toted looked awful. "Make one move and I'll shoot."

Another suit descended from above me. I squinted to see who it was. Wufei. "You make one move to harm a hair on her head and I'll kill you."

"I'm so scared," taunted the Aries mockingly.

"Good." Wufei moved an extendable arm towards the other suit. He put a claw-like hand on the machine's cockpit. "Let her go or I'll kill you."

I took that as my cue. I ran for cover. I heard an explosion from behind me, and turned to see that the Aries had tried to follow me. Now the cockpit was missing. Wufei had gone back to the main fight leaving me to fend for myself.

If I could find somewhere to hide, I would be fine. Once this had all blown over, I could fix Honiara's fuel tank, find some fuel and catch up with the other later. I knew that it wouldn't be as easy as I was making it out to be, but I had to convince myself that there was at least something to hope for.

I could still see the battle raging on around me if I looked up into the trees. An Aries was shot from the sky and landed only a few feet from where I stood. I gulped painfully as I took a step back. I felt very vulnerable without Honiara to protect me.

I kept walking for a few more minutes. Everything looked the same down here. What was I supposed to do? Smell my way back?

"Pilot!"

Who the hell…? I spun to face the owner of the voice, an Aries pilot who'd abandoned her machine. Her brown hair was tied into an elusive bun, and round glasses perched haughtily on the end of her nose. She wore uniform that was appropriate to the OZ military. Trust me – Very bad.

"Stop!"

I shook my head untrustingly and backed up a few paces. Then I turned and broke into a full-out run.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter 7 ****

Chapter Seven

I risked a look behind me. She was standing where I'd seen her last, just watching me run. Wasn't she going to chase me? I was almost wishing she would, since that would mean I knew exactly what she was doing.

She pulled out a gun and shot at me. The bitch shot at me!

Luckily the shot didn't hit me, but it was enough of a surprise to force me to the ground. I tried to push myself up, but my arm gave way at the shoulder. By the time I'd started to get up with my other arm, she'd pinned me.

I growled at her in a low voice, showing my anger, but not letting out anything else. That was how I'd been trained, not to give anything away. I felt the barrel of the gun press into the back of my skull. "Going anywhere, pilot?"

I just lay where I was.

She sighed dramatically. "It doesn't matter. You know that, don't you? We'll find out what we need one way or another."

She pulled me to my feet sharply. I thought my arm had just been torn off at the shoulder. She saw the pain on my face and spitefully twisted my arm behind me.

"Stop it!"

"So you do speak. Now we're getting somewhere. Care to tell me any more about yourself?"

Now that she had let up on my arm, I felt disgusted with myself. Silence! Not another word! She was the enemy and I'd suffered worse at the hands of people like her.

"Come on." She dragged me along behind her for several minutes, making sure she kept a grip on my injured arm so I wouldn't try to wrench free. It worked. I followed her like a lamb. A bloody lamb!

Eventually I could see a huge transport. That had to be what had deployed the suits. And she was trying to take me with her. Well that wasn't happening!

Bracing myself for the pain, I tore away from her. She hadn't expected it, and let me go and I ran. I ran like the devil was after me. In a way I suppose she was.

"Colonel Une!" cried someone at the ramp. "We have to leave _now_ or we risk being shot down by one of the Gundams!"

She ignored him and continued after me. I was one of the pilots that had been causing havoc amongst the OZ organisation. She just didn't realise that I didn't know half as much as she probably thought I did.

She was slowly falling behind. Scanning the trees ahead of me I saw my chance. A branch! One that I could probably reach if I jumped high enough. I ran towards it and jumped. My working hand grabbed at it and desperately pulled my body slowly after it. I hooked first one leg and then the other around the branch and pulled myself up slowly. My temples throbbed painfully as I settled into balance.

Colonel Une passed underneath me. If she'd thought to look up she would have caught me. I wouldn't have been able to move any more, let alone run away from her. She looked to either side before running back towards the transport. I watched her for a few seconds before finally losing my grip and falling out of the tree.

I hit the ground on my back with an almighty thump, knocking the wind out of me. I let my head fall back against the ground and felt the dampness seep through my hair. Nothing else mattered. I was still free.

And that was all that I was worried about right then.


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter 8 ****

Chapter Eight

Slowly, cautiously, I opened my eyes.

There was next to no light. It was too dim. It didn't feel right. It almost felt like someone had cut the light to deliberately throw me off. Who or what, I had no idea.

"Ah, so you're not dead yet?"

I let my eyes slide to the right. A boy who was about my age stepped into my field of vision. He was fairly tall, or so it seemed, with solemn grey eyes and a mop of black hair that seemed to have been randomly thrown onto his head from several yards. "You're a lot tougher than you look."

"What?" I squinted, trying to see better. "Who are you?"

"Me?" He indicated himself with a large gesture as though he couldn't believe his ears. "Who am _I_? Let's start sensibly, shall we? Who are _you_?"

"None of your business."

He shrugged indifferently. "I could have said the same thing. Although I despise secrecy."

I pushed myself into a sitting position. My balance was thrown momentarily when I found that I was very close to the ground. I gingerly put a little weight onto my injured arm cried out.

"Stop it! You'll hurt yourself!"

I turned to the boy angrily. "Isn't it obvious that I've already done that?"

"And isn't it painfully obvious to me what a downright _bitch_ you are? But am I complaining about your obvious lack of manners?"

"I'm just not in the best of moods at the moment," I muttered by way of apology.

He rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Obviously."

I took the opportunity to look about myself a little. The room had a low ceiling, and tiny windows. That explained the lack of light. The old-fashioned wooden door stood ajar and the mattress I sat on had lost all its spring a long time ago.

"Where're you from?"

"What do you mean?" I dodged the question.

"Were you in that mobile suit fight?"

I frowned disapprovingly. "Would I be piloting a mobile suit?"

"Well," he paused. "Those Gundam pilots are kids, and there were Gundams there. I saw them."

I snorted at him. "Gundams? Yeah, right. Whatever you say Sparkie."

"You don't believe me?"

"No."

He got to his feet. "Why were the military there then? I doubt they came all the way to downtown New York to blow it up – again." He paused again, considering something. "I found it."

"Found what?"

"Your Gundam. I found it."

Then I did the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. I believed him!

"Where?"

He smirked at me. "So you _are_ a Gundam pilot."

I seethed quietly. So stupid Kin! So stupid! I reached out and slapped him. Instantly, he recoiled and put a hand to his cheek in raw astonishment. "What did you do that for?"

"For lying to me."

He gestured widely in no particular direction, still keeping one hand to his cheek as though afraid I would attack it again. "You lied to me!"

I lowered my gaze. "That's different."

"Different? Of course it is. What _was_ I thinking? You being all high and mightier than the rest of us mere mortals? You can tell lies to whoever you want! And the rest of us have to be all truthful and angelic! Let me tell you something Ms. Super Pilot, you have a lot to learn about the way things work around here!"

I looked at him scornfully. "Are you finished?"

"No, but I'll let you off from the full-blown lecture." He lowered himself to the floor and leaned heavily against the wall. "You have a name?"

I kept my mouth shut.

"Mine's Gershom. It means…" he glanced at the floor, embarrassed. He smiled uncertainly. "It means alien."


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine ****

Chapter Nine

"So," I said quietly, "because you've told me your name, you think I'm automatically inclined to tell you mine?"

He shrugged. "No."

"So why'd you do it?"

"What?" He raised and eyebrow at me. "Tell you my name? Because I've got nothing to fear from it. Not like you have." He smiled mockingly at me. Then his expression became solemn again. "But I still don't know what to call you."

I frowned for a second. "You could call me Liushu."

"I could." He nodded. "Okay then, Liushu it is." He reached down to help me to my feet. "You need to see a doctor with that." He indicated my injured arm.

I nodded. "I suppose so."

"Come on then."

*-_-*

Outside the building was no better than the inside. Despite the fact that the city had been blown up hundreds of years ago, nobody had bothered to try and make it better. There were still mounds of concrete and clouds of something that I don't think even has a name filling the air. I turned to Gershom. "Do people live here?"

"Yeah, of course. What did you think I was doing? Hanging out?"

I shook my head thoughtfully. "It just seems so barren. Why hasn't something been done about it?"

He shrugged. "Recently, the war with the colonies. Before that, who knows? Could have been any number of reasons."

Quietly I followed him around seemingly endless piles of rubble and debris. I noticed people at every turn who seemed to be just standing there, watching us. I nudged Gershom.

He smiled. "They're just guards."

"Military?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Whose?"

He looked at me with a puzzled expression before finally figuring out what I meant. "Our own. None of the other military groups want to bother us."

"You have a military?"

Gershom frowned for a second, wondering if I was asking a trick question. "Why is that unusual?"

I shrugged. "I just…" I groped for the right expression. "This doesn't seem like a military community." I shook my head. "I dunno," I muttered, confused.

"It's a little unusual, huh?" He nudged me towards a building that looked close to collapse. "In there."

*-_-*

"Well." The doctor looked at me curiously. She had examined almost every part of me that could possibly be examined. She was obviously interested by what she had discovered. "You've pulled the muscle almost completely off the bone here," she indicated my upper arm near the shoulder. "That means," she continued, "you won't be able to use the arm effectively without surgery."

I looked to her apprehensively, waiting for her to continue. "We'd be willing to help you, but…" She smiled at me as she trailed off. She'd guessed right.

"I'm sorry, but I don't trust anyone at the moment."

She nodded. "I understand. But just bare the offer in mind when you're running around with a useless arm will you? As my patient, I feel responsible for you."

I smiled slightly, despite myself. "You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine."

The doctor looked over at Gershom, who was leaning against the doorframe, watching on. "Excused Cadet."

He looked unhappy, almost disappointed, but politely saluted. "Ma'am. Liushu." Then he turned and left the room.

She noticed my amazed look, and smiled at me. "It's the way things work around here. We're a very military based society." She paused. "But I won't go over our community's history. You obviously have other matters to attend to at the moment."

"Yeah," I muttered, frowning.

"But," she continued. "I'd like to ask you a few questions first."

I shrugged. "Go ahead, although you know I can't guarantee answers."

She nodded to herself. "Are you a soldier?"

I weighed the question up before supplying an answer. "Yes."

"Are you for or against Oz?"

"Against." The answer came without my having to think about it. I took a breath. "Fiercely against."

"Is your name really Liushu?"

"As far as you need to know."

She nodded, seeming to understand my position, although I couldn't be sure of that. "Well Miss Liushu, Gundam pilot…"

I panicked. "I'm no Gundam pilot."

"Gershom says differently."

"Then he made an assumption. I'm just a regular pilot."

She frowned at me, obviously aware of the Oz military taking on volunteers my age, both genders. Aware of Gershom's possible error. But also acutely aware of how far the other pilots had gone in the past to keep this information from the wrong people.

"You know. Liushu." She put her clipboard to one side as she leaned towards me, arching her fingers. "We support the efforts of the Gundams."

"Why?"

"They represent peace in this world. In outer space. Those are ideals we take very seriously. And these fighters uphold those values. If we could, we would support them, but we have nothing to fight back with. Do you see?"

She looked toward me earnestly. I looked back, keeping my face as blank as I could. I wasn't giving anything else away. I wasn't going back.

"I'm still not sure why you're so certain that I'm a Gundam pilot. What proof do you have?"

"We've found your Gundam."


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten ****

Chapter Ten

"Wow. You found a Gundam? One of the ones from the battle?"

The doctor rose to her feet and looked down at me, frowning in her attempt to press her point. "_Your_ Gundam."

"My…? Look, I told you, I'm no Gundam pilot." I ran one of my hands behind my ear nervously, pulling a few strands of auburn hair with it. "Would I be here if I were flying a Gundam? Those guys never get shot down."

"But one did. And I think you were piloting it."

"What are you? A doctor or an interrogation officer?"

She folded her arms over her chest as she took her seat. The look in her eyes was far-away, almost as though she were reliving some moment of her past. "I'm actually trained at both."

"Damnit!" I carefully checked my temper. I was still wary, but this woman wasn't acting as though there was anything untoward going on. In fact, she was acting more like a worried mother.

"Look, we have a Gundam in our possession. Tell me, right here and now if you're the pilot, or we're going to have to consider our next course of action without your help."

They had Honiara. That was when it finally began to sink in for me. And I was either going to come clean or some forsaken, god-knows-who, heehaw was going to get his grubby paws on her.

Not happening.

But still… I couldn't give anything away. Especially not this early on in the game. I'd never live it down, to those around me or myself.

"Honiara… help me," I whispered.

"Honiara?" The doctor inquired, with a new curiosity.

My expression hardened as I looked towards her again. "I'm not in a position to reveal anything about myself. Surely you understand that?"

"Well, Liushu, I suppose I do. But that doesn't leave us with much to go on…"

"I want the suit back," I snapped, cutting her off.

"But if you won't admit to being the pilot…"

"Wasn't it painfully obvious before you started asking me questions? What do I have to admit that you don't already know?"

"So you're a Gundam pilot?"

I sucked in a deep breath. I let it out again slowly. "Yes. I am."


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven ****

Chapter Eleven

**__**

AN: A quick apology here, I've only just read Duo's Episode Zero manga, and I've been making a few blind references to his past. I'm gonna try and cover my mistakes as I go, but bear with me okay? I'm still a newbie to this sorta thing…

"Well…" The doctor looked flustered. Maybe she hadn't been expecting a confession so readily. Maybe she was beginning to have her own doubts. Whatever the reason, I was still able to see the confusion on her face.

"Well," she repeated, "I'll inform my superiors. But for now I'd ask you to stay within our custody."

"I don't seem to have too much choice in it." I shrugged, and winced.

The doctor smiled and got up. I was slightly apprehensive, even more so after what I'd just told her. She came back with a square of cloth, which she folded in half. She tied the corners in a knot at my shoulder and I let my arm lie in the sling. She stepped back and beamed. "Maybe not as good as surgery, but keeping your weight off it will do you the world of good."

I blushed slightly. I didn't trust her, but she was showing me more kindness than I knew humans could. "Thanks."

She smiled ruefully. "No problem." She paused. I would have risen to my feet, but I sensed she had something more to say. "I used to have a daughter like you. A beautiful girl. Stubborn too. Didn't like accepting help."

I rolled my eyes without realising I was doing it. Memory lane huh? No! Please not that!

She caught me. "That would have been her reaction too. But I just want to give you a piece of advice. Don't be afraid of help from others." She got to her feet and invited me to do the same. She led me to the door, opened it and caught my eye.

"Of course, in your position, treat it with suspicion, but never fear it. Someone may genuinely want to help."

I nodded vaguely to myself. What she said certainly made sense, but she could hardly expect a few choice words to mean anything to me? Surely?

I heard the door click shut behind me without realising I'd stepped out of it.

"That sounded eventful."

I turned toward Gershom, who was stood against the wall, absently kicking the paint work with a heel. "How so?"

He shrugged. "You're the first in years to leave her office voluntarily." At my quizzical look, he continued. "All offenders are sent to her office to receive dismissal."

"Right… Whatever you say." I was still confused. Why was this entire community acting like an army? From what I could see, they were simply squatters, hiding in a busted out New York. They didn't even appear to have decent weapons. _Although,_ I reminded myself cautiously, _several forces have proven that you don't have to show off to be powerful._

"You okay?"

I looked up with a jerk. "What?"

"You just seemed a little preoccupied."

I nodded distractedly. "Yeah, I was."

He frowned slightly, as he regarded my sudden change in attitude. From loud and rebellious, to silent and shy. He looked at my feet for a second, before returning to meet my gaze. "Come on," he said, turning. "I've got something I think you'd appreciate seeing."


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve ****

Chapter Twelve

"Hey! What're you doing!"

I started forward suddenly, seeing the impossible. Honiara was still intact! I couldn't believe my own eyes. She lay on her front surrounded by a close canopy of trees and split bows where I had assumed Honiara and I would meet our doom.

I was roughly stopped by a large man wearing a pair of brown overalls, with some kind of motif across the chest pocket. He pulled me short with a sharp tug at my collar. Pain blazed through my shoulder and my upper arm, but I bit back a retaliating scream. He narrowed his eyes at me fiercely. "What're you doing here Cadet?"

I pulled away from him. "I'm no Cadet! What do you think you're doing with that machine! Who gave you the right to…!"

"You will not speak to me like that!"

"Sergeant Vierte!" Gershom skidded to a halt beside me. My sprint had come as a little of a surprise, I noted with a certain satisfaction. "Sir," he continued. "Let me explain."

"Start talking, Cadet. I don't appreciate this." He seemed to be speaking to Gershom, but kept his gaze locked on mine the whole time. I glared back defiantly.

"Sir, she's the pilot."

Vierte's gaze snapped away from mine as he looked to Gershom in bewilderment. "What?"

"Miss Liushu is the pilot of that mobile suit."

"A Gundam pilot…?" He breathed in wonderment. I hated that word – Gundam – but it seemed to be the only way you could gain anyone's attention at fifteen years of age. "Miss… Liushu?"

I met his eyes calmly, now that some kind of order had been established. My green irises diluted as I bestowed a dignified air. "I would appreciate if you'd not tamper with my suit without my acknowledgement, Sergeant."

"I'm sorry ma'am, I had no idea…"

Gershom turned from the Sergeant to me, with something of humour in his grey eyes. "May they continue?"

I nodded. "They may. But I would like you to tell me _exactly_ what they're doing." My eyes travelled to Vierte's feet then back to his face. "Why're you still standing there?" I said, hoping I had masked my enjoyment of the moment. I wasn't meaning to be rude but from the reaction of the other men, who had stopped what they were doing to watch the spectacle, I guessed Vierte didn't get bossed around too much.

Vierte, dismissed, went back to what he was doing. I couldn't hope to guess what it was he was doing. I knew what would probably _need_ doing, but I left it to people who knew how it was done. Besides, some nagging feeling told me I _shouldn't_ know what was wrong with Honiara…

"I've been wanting to see someone do that to him for _years_! Thank you!"

I smiled at Gershom. "Superiors are that much of a pain?"

He shook his head at the ground. "I went through my first two years with that guy. Just because we were twelve, didn't give us any concessions. Vierte was a pain in a bad place the whole time he tutored us. It's about time someone put him in his place!"

"Happy to help, I guess…" Then another thought, which I'd neglected, bobbed to the surface. "Do you know what happened to the other pilots?"

Gershom scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "They went in pursuit of the transport. I assume they thought you were on it."

"Damnit!" The curse came as an involuntary hiss. So stupid! If there was a prize for stupidity, I would win it hands down! "I need to find them."

"No matter what we do, the Gundam is going to be in no position to be flying anywhere any time soon. The whole fuel tank went up in flames – literally. The nearest town with a shuttleport is several miles away. If we started now, we could make it there by nightfall."

I considered the options carefully. What choice did I have? "Where would we go?"

Gershom shrugged. "Wherever you think they're most likely to be going, I guess."

"Why not just stay here and wait for them to come back?"

Gershom paused slightly at the question, but it barely threw him from his line of thought. The grey eyes, once large and humorous, were now downcast in thought. "How long is it going to take them to figure out that you're not there? If they do at all? That was an OZ transport, your friends are going to meet heavy fire when they get to wherever the transport is headed. Our best bet is to try and meet them halfway."

I nodded slowly. He was right. It was our best option.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen ****

Chapter Thirteen

The shuttleport was a busy place, white tiled and people on the go everywhere. Everyone seemed to be going everywhere at once with every single plausible reason in the world to be going there – except Gershom and I. Loudspeakers spoke loud commands in several different languages, loud static sounds that alienated me.

"Watashi wa Chikyuuken Kokka no seitou naru koukeisha desu."

"Il y a quelque chose qui ne va pas avec l'ordinator."

"Das Kind wurde von einem Hund gebissen."

"New arrivals, please proceed to the main desk – Thank you."

"Kankoo annai-shoo wa doko desuka?"

I turned abruptly towards the gentleman. He had a fairly Oriental look about him, which wasn't surprising as he had questioned me in Japanese. He had just asked me where he could find the tourist office.

I shook my head. "Eigo o hanasemasaka? Chotto wakarimasen." I told him I hadn't understood. I was confused that I actually had understood him. I had never spoken a word of Japanese in my whole life.

He looked slightly embarrassed and shook his head. "Ie, gomen nasai…"

I smiled at him slightly as I accepted his apology. He hurried away and dissolved into the thronging crowd.

"A linguist?" Gershom watched me with an air of sudden respect. "Miss Liushu, I hadn't expected you to be a linguist."

"Do you even know what I said to him?"

"No."

"If you had, you would be aware that I'm no linguist."

"Your tongue's sharp enough to convince me."

I looked towards him, shooting him a withering look. "Do you always have to have the last word? Is it in your nature?"

He shrugged and grinned broadly. "Yup. I guess so."

There was a slight pause. Then he continued. "So, do we know where we're going yet?"

I thought hard. There had to be some place… There had to be… I whirled towards Gershom suddenly. "Yes! There is! If he doesn't still have the sieve he used to call a brain!"

"I refuse to probe. But pray tell?"

"One time, when I was small, my friend and I…"

"One of the other pilots?"

I nodded. "I grant you that much. Well, we told each other where we most wanted to go in the whole wide world. I told him my place, and he told me his."

"How does this connect? You've lost me…"

"Shut up and listen would you?" I drew a breath. "He told me he wanted to visit London."

Gershom snorted. "London? Why the…?"

"I don't know, but that's what he told me. I think he's going to come to the same conclusion I have."

Gershom deliberated with himself for a second. "London sounds good to me, if you think that's the best place to head." He smiled to himself for a second. "But the British talk funny don't they?"

I sighed in mock exasperation. "They don't 'talk funny'. They just talk differently from us, that's all. Meet someone from Britain in a dark alley and tell them what you've just told me, I dare you."

He turned towards the main desk and said cheerfully, yet sarcastically, "and you think I have a death wish?"

A few minutes later, he returned with the tickets. "Not bad, there's one leaving in thirty minutes."

I took one ticket from him and scrutinised it carefully. "One Adult: London: One Way" it read.

"One way?"

"You were planning to come back with me?"

I absently gazed through the ticket. "I guess not, no."

I felt a light hand on my shoulder. "It's alright. I'll survive without you. Although I love you so much it'll kill me."

I pulled away. "Love?!" I spluttered, taking in his grinning features. "You had better pray to God that I'm right when I say you're not serious!"

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "You're right, you're right." He laughed out loud. "Don't _ever_ take me that seriously ever again. You're beginning to scare me."

We both started up the corridor towards the departure area. The corridor was plain and white. It reminded me of a hospital, not that I've ever had to see the inside of one…

Carefully, I slouched against the wall as Gershom excused himself to quickly go to the toilet before we got on the flight. I religiously counted the bumps in the ceiling, but soon grew tired since the place was so boring that there were practically no bumps to count. One place is a bombsite, and the other is almost a copy of a palace. And how exactly did that work in the modern day world?

"Hey!"

I turned sharply at the voice. A tall man, dressed in a military uniform approached me sternly. I was suddenly apprehensive. This man possessed the attitude of the Commander at the Camp. _I'm out for blood – and I don't care who's._

"What're you doing?"

"Loitering." The response came before I could stop it.

"You're not allowed to loiter with intent."

The simplicity of today's military… "Intent to what? Breathe?"

"Are you being smart with me?"

By now I was basically running on auto-pilot. "No, if I was being smart I would have left you behind a long time ago."

He reached out a hand and grabbed me by the arm. "Now you listen to me, you little…"

I wrenched away from him. Did the arm now have a sign on it saying "grab me"?

"Who gave you permission to touch me?"

"I don't need permission."

I took an involuntary step backwards. "From me you do."

He made to grab me again. I backhanded him, which made him more than a little bit angry. In a flash he had me by the collar, raising me up off the ground with his extra height. If I'm anything, I'm not particularly tall – but he was. I tried kicking him in the shins, spitting at him, biting him, but he'd seen it all before. He held me dangling for a few seconds. "Don't you _dare_ speak to me like that again, or I'll…"

"What're you doing?"

The soldier turned angrily to Gershom, who stood in the doorway of the Men's, a thunderous expression on his face.

"None of your business, buddy. Take a hike."

"None of my business?"

The soldier let up slightly on my collar as he turned to face his new opposition. "Military matters, son. I'd stay out of it if I was you."

"I don't know which military you're from, but bothering civilians is bad wherever you come from. Let her go."

"Make me."

Gershom grabbed the soldier's arm and had twisted it halfway up his back, the soldier suffering the same kind of surprise I had a few moments earlier. I was dropped in surprise and back-pedalled to the wall. Then I saw it all. I couldn't do anything about what happened next. The retrieval of the gun. The way it was fired into Gershom's head. And the way his eyes met mine as he fell.

I pulled myself upright from the wall slowly, with a moment's contemplation. Then turned back to the soldier and stepped over Gershom's, now lifeless, body.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"What are you?" he sneered, "some kind of pacifist? A Peacecraft?" He levelled the gun at me as though I was afraid of it.

__

"Who's been talking about escape girlie?"

My brow furrowed as I noticed the similarity in the situations. The soldier in the dormitory and this idiot. Back then I had been too small to do anything…

__

"I'll beat your brains out with that bloody chair leg!"

But now was different…

Next thing he knew I was flying towards him with strength I didn't know I had. I gracefully jabbed my good fist into his stomach, forcing him to drop the gun as he grabbed at his belly. Then, as he stood there groaning, I snapped up with a foot into his chin. It was almost graceful. He then proceeded to fall to the floor, unconscious.

"And that," I muttered, stepping over him, "is why you do _not_ tell me I have a reason to get angry with you."

Glancing to either side uneasily I continued to the departure lounge. I already knew from experience that I wouldn't feel this loss for several hours yet. Then the waterworks would start. But I had a plane to catch if I wanted to get anything done.

I gingerly felt in my pocket for the ticket that Gershom had handed me not five minutes ago. I pulled my cap on backwards, hiding as much of my hair as I could. What was going on wasn't under my control anymore. I picked up a magazine without noticing what it was angrily, getting a few stares as I swore loudly when it gave me a paper-cut.

Let's face it, at this point my life sucked. I savagely pulled one of the pages open, almost ripping it out of the magazine. I was mad all right. Too mad to notice the guy walking towards me, until he walked right into me. The magazine was knocked out of my grip and landed on the carpet.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

He bent down and picked up the magazine without looking at me. "Sorry." He handed it back to me without another word and continued to the other side of the departure lounge. I watched after him suspiciously, knowing him from somewhere. He sat down in one of the seats and looked out of the window thoughtfully, as though he'd completely forgotten about me. The sort of reaction I'd expect from a complete stranger.

Then I recognised Trowa. I'd only ever met him once, but it was definitely him. So what was he doing here? I looked about. Where were the others? I had no idea what was going on, and that frustrated me, but if Trowa didn't want to be acknowledged, so be it. There had to be a reason for it.

I continued to scan the room carefully, trying not to look too conspicuous. I managed to pick them out one by one. Heero and Wufei had placed themselves strategically around the room, much like Trowa. Duo and Quatre were staking out the door and avoiding my gaze deliberately. Quatre deeply engaged in conversation with someone I didn't recognise. So they'd figured out what I was going to do, before I'd even done it. They were better at this than I'd imagined.

I took a deep breath. I didn't think the security staff was going to let a dead body and an injured officer slide. And where there was one soldier, there was always going to be lots more. They were like animals. They hunted in packs.

Then the commotion started. A slow rumble at first, but getting steadily louder and more panicked. Carefully, I reached to my shoulder and untied my sling, sliding the injured arm into my jacket sleeve and the cloth into my pocket. One more difference.

Suddenly, the double doors burst open, forcing Quatre and Duo to jump to one side hastily. Four soldiers strode in and my friend was not among them. Good. Then he couldn't pick me out of the crowd. Hopefully I'd changed my appearance enough to fool them for a while.

"Hey, you!"

I looked up from the magazine with all the innocence I could gather. "Yeah?"

"Would you come with us?"

"Why?" I put on my best 'irritatingly-ignorant-schoolgirl' act. But it didn't fool them.

"There's been an incident we would like to question you about."

"But I didn't see anything…"

"Please miss, or we'll have to use force."

Grudgingly I got to my feet and followed the soldier. What now? In fact, don't tell me – I'd have to break out? Again? Great…

On my way out, Duo caught my gaze. It was a concerned, yet calculated look. Silently, I begged him not to do anything stupid. But… I really don't think he's into the telepathy thing just yet. I felt the cautiously worried look follow my back as I continued down the corridor. I shook my head softly as I slowly realised how bad things were likely to get from here onwards.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen ****

Chapter Fourteen

"Am I a prisoner?"

"No ma'am." The soldier pushed open the double doors marked 'authorised personnel only' and strode through. I followed, watching at all sides cautiously. I'd always wondered what that sign _really_ meant…

The soldier continued. "We only want to ask you a few questions."

"What's wrong with asking them here? I have a plane to catch."

"I understand that ma'am, but this is very important. We won't take up too much of your time."

How could you argue with that? Besides, there was nothing so far to indicate any type of hassle. They'd me shown nothing but politeness so far.

I was ushered into a small room and I sat on one of the cheap, plastic seats indicated by the horribly orange colour. I could see the back of the guard's head through the small window as he stood watch over the door. So I was a prisoner. If I wanted to leave, that was tough.

After a few minutes the door was opened and another girl, a tall person with long red hair, was shown in. She smiled at me nervously. "What's going on?"

I shrugged indifferently. "Beats me." I glanced at my watch absently. "I've missed my flight. I needed to be on that…"

She slumped down in the seat to my right. "Tell me about it. I need to be in Tokyo in a few hours. I might _just_ make it if they hurry up." She checked herself and stuck out a hand. "Nancy Willows. Soon-to-be Tokyo exchange student."

I smiled back as I stuck out my left hand at an awkward angle. The first name that came to mind. "Liushu Maxwell. Very ticked off traveller of the world."

She cocked her head to one side as she took in my worn features carefully. I suddenly became acutely aware of how beaten up I must look. "What do you do?"

My mind suddenly raced ahead of itself. What _would_ I be doing? If I were normal? "Trainee computer technician. The school's in London, but I wanted to do a little travelling in my free time. Unfortunately I have a lesson first thing the day after tomorrow. If I don't get my flight, I'll be out-cold in the lesson. If I'm there at all."

"Yeah." Nancy folded her arms across her chest crossly. "The system sucks, huh?"

Absently I gripped the edge of my elbow, feeling disquieted with the absence of the sling. "You don't know the half of it – believe me."

*-_-*

By the time they sat down to question us, there was about five of us in the room. All female, and all with red hair. They questioned us for several hours. Asking us where we were and when we were there. It drove me up the wall. One girl was clamping at the bit by the time they released her.

"Look," I said, rising to my feet. There was only, myself Nancy and another girl – Jane – left. "What is this all about anyway? I've missed at least the next two flights to where I need to be in a day. I'm sure none of us wants to be detained any longer. You told me I wasn't a prisoner, so I'm leaving."

I made towards the door. "I wouldn't do that ma'am."

"Why not?" Jane also rose to her feet in support of what I was doing. Her mother was waiting for her in France, and she had said her mother worried easily. "I'll walk if you will."

I smiled gratefully. "Count me in on that too." Nancy smiled at me nervously. She seemed like a fairly quiet girl to be making such a bold statement.

"Please seat yourselves ladies." The gun was pointed into our midst. I could tell he didn't intend to fire it, but the others started looking very uncomfortable at its very presence. "Don't force me to repeat myself. For your own safety."

Obediently, Jane and Nancy sat, much to my disappointment. _Spineless… _Grumbling, I followed their example. A sickening silence lingered in the air between us. I could only guess that they could feel my disappointment. I could certainly feel their apologetic nature. Or maybe that was just me…

The interrogation continued for mere minutes before Jane was dismissed. She grabbed her bag and literally ran out of the door, letting it slam in her wake. Or had someone else slammed it?

The guard, a few moments after letting Jane leave, rose dauntingly to his feet. I was suddenly suspicious. He wanted the height, I could tell. What was about to happen now? As though I hadn't been through enough already…

"Someone in this room," he muttered, beginning to pace dramatically, "is a murderer."

I felt the hairs on my arms stand straight in indignant outrage. How dare he?! Me murder Gershom? Why not try the ever-valiant officer!

"We have a civilian dead and an officer injured." He spun to face us. "Which of you killed today?"

Both of us gasped a negative. I had to keep this up. I just had to. If I didn't it would cost me my life…

We continued like this for several minutes. He ranted and raved at us, and we ranted and raved back, protesting our innocence. He paused, and studied us both carefully. Then he proceeded with echoing steps to the door and tapped on it. Two more soldiers joined us in the room. He pointed at Nancy. "Shoot her," he commanded, almost enjoying himself. "She is a murderer."

"But sir, mustn't we take this through the courts?"

"Who's going to know? Shoot her – now!"

"But what about His Excellency's orders…?"

"Are you questioning my judgement? Shoot her now!"

Doubtfully, one of them brought up his weapon to Nancy. She blinked several times. She couldn't believe it was happening. The exchange student to Tokyo. Shot dead in Newark Central Shuttleport. Ludicrous! An innocent girl, my age, with a home and a family, who wouldn't find out about this for a long time – if ever. 

Unacceptable…

"Liushu…" she whispered. The eyes! The eyes were shattering from her soul. Why the eyes?!

"Shoot her!"

"Stop it!" I jumped to my feet and stepped in front of Nancy defiantly. "You _cannot_ shoot her."

"Why not, pray tell?"

I took a deep breath. "I _will not_ have a second person die for my sake today. Let her go, and I'll come quietly." I hung my head in raging submission.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen ****

Chapter Fifteen

"I suppose we may have to comply." He looked me up and down, a mocking smile on his face. He'd known all along. He'd just wanted me to confess of my own accord. The nerve… He continued. "We don't want any _trouble_, do we gentlemen?" He paced towards Nancy, who was shaking violently. "You," he grabbed her upper arm roughly and threw her across towards the door, "can leave. We have our criminal. Thank you for your co-operation." She stumbled slightly as she bent to pick up her bag.

"Liushu? I can't just…"

"Please? Don't bother."

She looked stunned for a moment, like I'd slapped her. But she bit her lip nervously and nodded. Then she turned and left the room, not looking back. As she obscured the light from the door, a ghastly shadow played over the room. One more friend, no matter how briefly, was gone – again.

"Shoot her, instead."

My eyes widened at the implications. But I swallowed my fear. I'd rather die myself, than deprive Nancy of her own life. My eyelids closed over my eyes slowly, as I mentally prepared myself for what was to follow.

At that point, the door smashed against the wall forcefully, causing my eyes to snap open of their own accord. "Don't you dare!" Bellowed the woman loudly. "You're going to shoot our new source of information?"

The woman's hair was tied tightly in a bun behind her, although you could tell she'd been in a hurry because there were wispy hairs dancing around where her fringe would have been. Huge glasses framed her dark eyes. Her eyebrows are arched in a sign of severe disapproval. "You do _nothing_ with her without direct orders from myself or His Excellency Trieze. Am I understood?"

All three soldiers saluted her smartly, leaving me to look around the room in amazement. Then I recognised her. She was the one who shot at me in New York! Colonel Une! How did she end up here? And _why_ was she saving me from execution? It didn't seem to make any sense to me.

"Ma'am."

Another soldier – was there no end to them – came in, followed by two more. Between them they pulled someone along, although that someone was protesting loudly. My heart dropped like a lump of lead. The braid was the give away…

"He was snooping in the corridor ma'am." The boy fell silent.

Colonel Une smiled at me, then turned to the boy. "I trust you know each other?"

I glared at the top of Duo's bowed head silently. He refused to look at me. Shame maybe, or denying acknowledgement.

Two words passed through my head.

__

Nice going.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen ****

Chapter Sixteen

__

A victory has nothing to do with luck or fortune. In a war no such things exist. A victory depends on your skill, courage, and ability to handle the unforeseen. And an inability to do so isn't the enemy's luck, just a reflection of their superior ability.

- Roku Yinguoren A.C. 187

"Well, these walls are pretty."

"Only you would say that."

I could faintly see Duo's eyes as he turned them towards me. "You remember then?"

"Of course I remember, how could I forget? And they used to try and tell me _you_ were the bully."

"It was true."

I smiled as I slowly dredged up memories of my past. And never – in the years before the… incident – had I ever imagined getting into a mess like this with Duo. He never had a surname you know. Not before he was eleven. He said he couldn't remember. That, or the child in him simply didn't want to.

A bully? Duo? Nah… It was the other way around back then…

__

"Back off Toby!" I stepped towards my friend sternly. "He doesn't need that from the likes of you!"

"Since when have you cared about street rats?"

I shoved Toby hard in the chest. He stumbled backwards and landed with a satisfying thump on the floor below him. I received a glare halfway between surprise and shock. "Kin?"

"Yeah?" I stood protectively in front of Duo while pinning down Toby with my gaze.

"What're you doing?"

"What're you doing?" I mimicked.

Toby got slowly to his feet and watched me carefully for a moment.

"I'm not friends with you anymore…" I continued.

Toby glanced about his supporters. He had always been the leader of the pack so to speak, but this was the first time anyone had rebelled against him. Oh well…What a pity for him then…

Toby, reassured that nobody else was about to turn rebel on him, took a step towards me. I cocked my head to one side and smiled at him with a sickly sweetness.

That was the last straw.

He punched me – hard.

I found myself flat on the floor. Pushing myself to my elbows I fingered my cheek gingerly. It was already feeling tender to touch.

"Why you dirty…"

I reached out a hand towards an enraged Duo and stumbled to my feet. "Duo don't! He's not worth it!"

Toby acted as though I wasn't even there. "Me? Dirty?" He wrinkled up his nose, in an exaggerated show of being able to smell something foul. "Not me, but something else… Oh yeah! That's right! It's you isn't it priest-boy!"

And that was the start of one of Duo's first fights…

"Liushu?"

Obviously Duo knew what he was doing. I would have never thought to call him anything but Duo. "Yeah?"

"You okay over there?"

"I'm good."

"Whatcha doin'?"

I remembered that phrase with a small sigh. That used to be the limit of his vocabulary. "Just remembering stuff. From a while back."

"What stuff?"

"Purely random stuff. Toby for one…"

Duo cursed loudly at the mention of the stupid little twig. His voice echoed around the cell almost frantically. Like it was searching for a way out. I looked at the small square of light on the back wall gratefully. If it weren't for the fact that I wasn't alone, I would be having problems. Not something you need to know about just yet though…

__

I looked up as the classroom door was suddenly slammed behind a very angry-looking boy. He was dressed in a priest's shirt that almost came down past his knees, and had long hair that was tied into a tidy braid behind him. Another one from the church? They were never around for too long. I'd tried to make friends with some of them, but they came and went too quickly to keep track of.

The boy smashed his books onto a spare desk at the back of the room and slouched into the seat, with a dark and disapproving scowl spread over his face.

His blue eyes caught my green ones for a second. Seeing me, he pulled a face. So, naturally, I pulled one back. Then he snapped his gaze away.

Quietly I slid my book into my desk and passed several rows to take the seat next to the boy. I couldn't explain it, but I was intrigued. Normally I stayed well away from kids from the Maxwell Church, but for some reason, he was different.

"Who're you then?"

He looked up at me, seemingly appalled at having been spoken to. "Duo," he mumbled, only just audible over the general rabble.

"Is that short for something?" I saw a puzzled expression pass across his face before continuing. "I mean, my name, Kin, is short for Kinborough."

He shook his head, sending his braid on a small dance across his back. "Nope. Just Duo. I run and I hide, but I never lie. That's me."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"What? Did you say something?"

"Never mind." Duo's voice held a slight element of teasing in it. "But I swear, I'm going to go slowly insane if you insist on disappearing into your little dream world every two seconds."

Our attention was suddenly captured by the door, which had opened. Not forcefully, but with a certain feeling of dread.

"You two. On your feet."

I looked towards Duo with exactly the same expression that he cast at me.

__

Here we go…


	17. Chapter Seventeen

I glared up at him from underneath my fringe ****

Chapter Seventeen

I glared up at the soldier from underneath my fringe. I could already feel an angry swell puffing up under my eye. "What are you going to do?" I spat the words viciously. "Beat a confession out of me?" I could tell just by the look on his face that that was the plan. I smiled grimily. "No dice," I murmured.

Just for that he slammed his fist into the side of my head. Again. I could feel the blood running down my cheek. But I didn't care. I'd spent half my life learning to ignore pain. You spend that long learning something and it doesn't go away easily.

I glanced over at Duo. He kept his eyes pinned to the floor. He'd guessed that he wouldn't like what he'd see if he looked up. He'd guessed right. I'd be doing the same thing in his position.

"I'll ask you again. What do you know?"

"Nothing, and if I did do you think you'd be the first to know?" A pause. "Somehow," I growled, more to myself than the soldier, "I think not."

Quickly, the soldier brought a knife from his belt. At that moment Duo chose to look up. He's a great guy, but he always did have a habit of doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. He took in the knife, which at this point was under my chin, and put two and two together.

He opened his mouth.

"Don't you dare," I muttered through clenched teeth. I felt the knife nick my skin, but ignored it. "You tell them anything and I will come from my grave just to hunt you down."

He took my advice, but gave me the dirtiest look I have ever had off anyone. I knew how he felt. I'd been in his position more than once.

__

"Admit it!" Yelled the Commanding Officer hoarsely. You see, he'd been yelling that for several hours now. He had Nikki by the hair by this time, and she was bloodied and bruised. God, she looked a mess. But by the time they were yelling their heads off at you, you knew the worst was over.

I'd been in that position dozens of times before that. It was a favourite game of theirs. They would make up a reason to kick everything out of your friends and make you stand by and watch. But what we'd all already agreed is that we'd tell them nothing, whether we did it or not. And they only wanted a reason to kick the stuffing out of someone, so they didn't really care. I'd been beaten in like this before when Karen, another of my friends, had left the dorm after hours. They'd beaten the living daylights out of me, left me almost for dead. But we'd said nothing. Not a goddamned word!

That's what made life worth living here. Defying the system. That and the hope of escape.

He dropped her roughly. "If you little rodents don't care for your own, then who do you care for?"

I stood up and looked down my nose at the tiny, fat man in front of me. "I care for the truth. That's what I…" Something cracked into the side of my skull, and I vaguely heard Nikki cry out despairingly.

When I woke up they'd left me in solitary. They did it deliberately you know. They knew I hate being confined.

I jerked my head roughly away from the blade. The cut opened up as I jerked away, but I was just glad to have the knife away from me. "Is this how you treat young ladies? You're going to have a lonely life."

"Say that again." He sounded shocked more than anything else.

"I said you're going to have a lonely life. No one will ever care about you if they find out what kind of job you have. I'd be amazed if your mother still loves you, you pile of…"

They hilt of the blade cracked into the side of my head. For a second my mind swam, seeing dozens of tiny stars before me. I shook them clear. No military man was going to get the better of me – ever.

The soldier turned to Duo, a mocking grin on his face. "Don't you regret letting me do this to your little friend? It would all stop if you talked to me." He turned towards me pointedly. "Either of you."

So, he'd resorted to the invitation to surrender? Ha! Not likely.

I nodded to myself. "Yeah, sure I'll talk to you."

The look on Duo's face was halfway between panic and curiosity.

The soldier was just as sceptical. "Then talk."

"Get outta my face! I can't stand the sight of you, you freak!" I cleared my throat, trying to hide the fact that it felt like sandpaper. "Enough talk for you rookie?"

He sighed. He motioned towards Duo with the blade. "You should watch carefully." Then he turned back to me, brandishing the knife carefully. He reached towards me and held my head in a vice-like grip. I tried to wrench clear, but it was no good. And the way he was holding me was making my shoulder hurt like hell.

But bare it Kin, bare it. You've had worse.

Then I felt a stinging across my cheekbone, from near my temple down towards my nose. I'd never had this before. What was going on? I tried to look to the source, but my head was held fast and he had a hand over the eye that would be able to see what was going on. Any attempt at movement just made the whole thing hurt more. So I stayed still, hoping that it would be over soon. It was driving me mad. What the hell was it?

Duo was just inside the field of my free eye. But he was just staring at what the guy was doing. He was as pale as a sheet. But, thank god, he was holding his tongue.

"You want me to stop?"

"Stupid question," I responded. "Not quite the stupidest thing you've ever said, but coming close."

He let me go in disgust. He turned to one of the guards by the door. "Get rid of them," he spat. "Tell Lady Une that they won't talk." He cast his eyes over me. "What are you? A Devil child?"

I stared up at him with a mockingly sweet expression. "A holy man, are we?" I paused. He waited for me to continue. "Well, let's just say I was trained that way."

The guard bent down behind my chair and unfastened the cuffs so he could untangle my arms from the chair. He gripped my wrist firmly as he forced me up.

"Ow! Quit it!"

And that second of lost concentration cost him his consciousness. I wrenched the hand with the heavy cuffs out of his grip and swung hard to connect with his head. He went down like a load of bricks. A searing pain leapt up into my shoulder, but I forced it back again. There would be time for pain when I got out of this.

I reached down for a split second before bobbing back up with the unconscious man's gun. I levelled it as accurately as I could at the main soldier. Him and his bloody knife.

The smug voice came as a small jolt for me. "Guess what." What was he going to do? He looked too confident. "We have one of those too."

Suddenly a horrific thought popped into my head.

He saw what I was thinking as my eyes darted around the room. "Yes, you're pretty quick on the ball, I'll give you that."

Duo must have been behind me. I couldn't see him, but I suddenly became acutely aware of his eyes, which were trying to bore a tiny hole in my back.

"Now, give us the gun."

I swore harshly at the soldier, using words I barely realised I knew.

"Hardly very lady-like. It's a good job I follow my orders, or you wouldn't be alive right now."

My left hand gripped the gun harder. I wouldn't have been a sure shot with my wrong hand, but they didn't have to know that I wasn't left handed. And I was going to stand there until it killed me.

I didn't take my eyes off my tormentor as I addressed Duo. "You okay?"

The soldier cut him off. "Right now he has a gun to his forehead. Give me yours and we won't use ours. Do you understand?"

I paused, considering my options. This wasn't just a matter of getting beaten up. This was a question of a friend's life. But the whole idea was not to give in, wasn't it? Giving them what they wanted? But, a human life…

I frowned for a second, before bringing my eyes level. Hesitantly, reluctantly, I loosened my grip on the gun.

"Don't!" I could hear the dismay in Duo's voice, knowing it was hopeless.

My brow furrowed. I shook my head sadly. "It's just not worth it." I didn't even realise I'd let go when I heard the clang of metal bouncing off the floor. I raised my good hand into the air in surrender while letting the other hang limp by my side.

Quickly I was forced to the ground. Something hard connected with the back of my skull. Instinctively I tried to force myself to stay conscious. The enemy could do anything they liked to you when you were unconscious, and you couldn't keep an eye on them.

"What you do that for? She gave in didn't she?"

I blinked hard, trying to see through a haze building up behind my eyes.

It's hard to imagine how comforting oblivion actually is.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Reluctantly, my eye cracked open to be greeted with pitch black ****

Chapter Eighteen

Reluctantly, my eye cracked open to be greeted with pitch black. I could immediately feel the pressure of walls around me. It was like they were squeezing all the air out of my lungs without even touching me. I was suddenly aware that my breathing had hastened. I deliberately slowed it again, not wanting to hyperventilate. I could feel another presence in the room with me.

Duo was watching me carefully. Just by the way he held himself I could tell he knew I was conscious, he was just giving me a little time to adjust. I was more than a little grateful for that. I had a long history of claustrophobia to come to terms with in that little room.

Yeah, I know what you're saying right now. "How do you cope with claustrophobia in a mobile suit?" Well there's light in the cockpit of a mobile suit. Trust me, it makes the difference.

I opened both eyes and took a deep breath before closing them again. "What did I miss?"

"Not a lot. Straight from there to here."

I took this in. "How long ago?"

"I don't know. It feels like hours, but it could've been minutes." A slight pause filled the room. As though to banish the silence, Duo continued. "You okay?"

"Me?" I gave a nervous laugh. "Sure, never been better." I struggled into a sitting position. I looked at Duo. Even in the dark I could see concern in his blue eyes. "They do anything to you?"

He shook his head. "Not a thing. You took the brunt of it."

"Good." I'd said it without thinking. Back in the camp I'd been the leader in a way. I'd had to look out for everyone else's welfare. If anything happened to any of them, I held myself responsible. That kind of habit is hard to shake.

Duo frowned. "It's not good. How can you let me just sit there and watch them do that?"

"What were you going to do?" I added dryly, "Maybe we can try your way next time? Maybe it would turn out better?"

He looked away from me and sighed in despair. "That's not what I mean. Do you even know what they did to you?"

"What?"

He put a hand to his own cheek to illustrate where I should look. I brought my hand up and traced the cut down my cheekbone and over onto the bridge of my nose. My finger actually went into it as I did so and rubbed raw bone. I took my fingers away and, although I couldn't see too clearly in the darkness, I could still feel the slick blood on my fingertips.

"It looks a lot worse than it feels," muttered Duo darkly. "It'll scar."

"I've had worse." I put my cuffed hands into my lap.

"Have you? You keep saying that."

I looked towards him challengingly. "You think I haven't?"

He shrugged. "I'm just curious to know what could possibly be worse than this."

I shook my head. "You don't want to know."

"Try me."

"I'd rather not wipe away your little boy tears. If it's all the same to you."

"Fine, fine. But don't say I didn't try." He manoeuvred himself so that he was lying on his back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. "Just thought you'd appreciate a pair of ears."

"The ones I've got are fine, thanks."

"Ha. Ha." He retorted dryly. "Your funny jokes are killing me."

"I'll have to stop telling them, then."

That invoked a long silence. And it got longer and longer, pressing down and pushing all feeling out of the room. The only feeling we got off each other was tense apprehension, making us uncomfortable.

I tried to ignore the walls. I tried to tell myself that they were no scarier than the people that put them up. But they kept pressing in, tighter and tighter.

I gasped convulsively, suddenly realising that I had been holding my breath for several minutes. No wonder my head was swimming. I could barely think straight. I steadied my breathing and tried to pull myself together. This wasn't going to be my failing, a phobia. I was only going down when I'd been hacked apart, not before. Not to the mercy of some stupid walls.

Suddenly a huge sob shook my body. I was more surprised than anything else. What was that? Then another and another. I only realised the tear when it had run down my cheek and was over my lips. I licked it away and dared others to follow. And they came thick and fast. I managed to calm the sobs to tiny hiccups, but the tears wouldn't stop. They just ran down my cheeks like my eyes were leaking.

The most irritating thing was that I didn't see a reason to be crying. I wasn't feeling particularly weepy, just really mad and confined.

I looked down at Duo, who seemed to be sleeping. How could he sleep right now? I mentally checked myself. He didn't have an erratic fear of walls. That's how.

I sat where I was and shivered. Which was stupid considering that it wasn't even cold. But then again, I was crying too. Maybe my body was biting back for being ignored in the past.

I sat still, letting the silence wash over me. _There's nothing wrong, you're imagining things_. I forced myself to stop shivering, and somehow managed to slow the tears to a trickle. I was in control. Or so I kept telling myself.

Eventually I forced myself in a shallow sleep.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

"Kin ****

Chapter Nineteen

**__**

AN: Sorry to intrude, but I am aware of the time paradox in this chapter – in case any of you were confused… On with the show!

"Liushu?"

"Huh?" I groggily opened my eyes at the sound of my middle name. Nobody knew that name but a few of my close friends on the L2 colony. Before all this started. My eyes flicked first one way and then the other, frantic, looking for a source of light. Light that didn't exist.

I was roughly reminded of what was going on as a sob shot straight through me. I brought my eyes to the ceiling. "God!"

"What?"

I frowned disapprovingly at Duo. "You think I appreciate you seeing me like this?"

He moved so he was sitting beside me. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing's wrong." I sniffed loudly.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Really? That doesn't sound too healthy to me."

"I'm fine."

"That's a load of…!" He steadied his voice before continuing. "What's wrong?"

I sighed. "Maybe it has something to do with my being claustrophobic."

Duo took one quick look about him and saw instantly what the problem was. Even now the walls seemed closer than they had when I'd fallen asleep, like they were trying to inch towards me unseen.

"But I'm on top of it," I added hastily. Maybe a little too hastily. "I know what I'm doing.

"If you say so."

"Yeah, I think so."

"You know," said Duo thoughtfully after a few seconds, "I've only ever seen you cry once before."

"Yeah? When?"

"When we were still in school together. We were playing tag with some of the bigger kids and you fell and scraped your knee. You screamed and wailed for at least half an hour. You remember that?"

I searched my mind and fragments were floating to the surface. "Sort of. You remember exactly who we were playing with?"

He held up his hands and counted off his fingers. "There was Bob, Celia, Irene, Richard, some thick, chunky kid…"

"Bruce?"

"Yeah, Bruce. Danielle and Greg. You remember it?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, I do. I think. Bruce was 'it' wasn't he? He was chasing me?"

"Yeah."

It felt like we'd managed to fend off the dark. But it was threatening to creep in again. I needed to occupy myself or I was going to go insane.

Duo frowned at me for a moment, teetering on telling me something.

"What're you thinking?"

"We're going to escape."

I looked at him, fear and uncertainty momentarily replaced by pure amazement. "What?!"

"You heard me," came the voice, its source continuing to stare straight ahead of him. "You don't look like you can take much more of this."

I let my eyes scan the floor warily for a second. Last time I'd heard someone say that word – escape – one of my closest friends had paid the price. Nikki had died that day, and that is something I refuse to take lightly. I turned my gaze on Duo. "How exactly? What? Do you have a bomb secretly concealed in your mass of unruly hair?"

Duo seemed to smile at some private joke. "Not this time, no."

"What?"

He shook his head in mock sadness, a small smile betraying his apparent sincerity. "Never mind. It's a long story."

He moved clumsily to his feet and looked down at me expectantly. "Come on, on your feet."

I obeyed the command cautiously. "Duo?" I stumbled suddenly on thin air.

"I have a plan, although I'm not too sure whether it's gonna work or not. Just follow my lead."

"Follow your lead?" I was suddenly beginning to have my doubts.

"That's what I said." He approached the door and scrutinised it carefully before bringing back both arms, almost violently, and slamming the cuffs against it with a loud clang. The resounding ring almost smothered Duo's next words. "Just be ready to run – real fast."

We stood back from the door as the ringing died away. I was beginning to see the plan. We were waiting for someone to open the door and then we were going to bolt. Not a plan I wanted to go with right then, but anything was better than me staying here and turning into a total head-case.

Two childhood friends, side by side, both wanting to avert inevitable peril and doom. Sounds like a science fiction flick, huh? It would've been strange to watch, I guess.

The lock beeped happily as someone fed it a swipe card. This was it…

I glanced at Duo in time to see his shoulders tense and his features arrange themselves into a determined frown, ruining the usually cheerful expression in his eyes. I noticed only then that Duo had the most expressive eyes of anyone I have ever been graced to know. Not that that mattered to me in the position I was in…

"Don't move."

For a second I was frozen between panic and confusion. Duo _hadn't_ moved. But instead was looking toward the door in pure amazement and surprise. I followed his example as first Heero and Trowa stepped into the room.

"Don't move," repeated Heero, making eye contact with each of us in turn. "They don't know who we are yet."

"And trust you guys to wait until we were desperate." Duo shot me a pained look, begging me to pity him for knowing these people. I allowed myself a small smile, as I granted him exactly that.

"We're not out of here yet," said Trowa quietly, catching my smile.

"But you _do_ have a plan, right?"

Trowa directed his visible eye in Duo's direction. "We have one that's better than your one word plan. Namely: Run."

"It was better than sitting around here waiting for you guys."

"But you're not waiting anymore, are you."

Duo blinked at Heero's statement, trying to dredge up a reply. Eventually he admitted the defeat. "Fine. So you're right. What next?"


End file.
